National Republican., 1887-12-12
THE NyILIIELMJ CONCERT.
A Difficult Programme Masterly In.
terpreted.


terpreted.
The first concert OF the Wilhelmj Club
this season, under the direction OF Josef
Kaspar, was given Saturday night at the
Universallst Church before large aud
musical audience. The programme pre-
sented was an interesting one, the or
chestral numbers comprising symphoni-
eta, by Gustav Jensen, Arnold Krug's
charming liebesnovelle, and two numbers
by the rising French composer, Ernest
Gillett. The soloist was Miss Hattie
Clapper, the eminent contralto, who sang
Verdi's 80 Don Fatale," from the opera
"Don Carlos;' Becker's ever popular
Fairest Vision" The orchestral numbers
were without exception new In thl,
city, and the Symphonietta by Jensen, dedl
| Gated to the Philharmonic Society OF Co.
logne, was performed for the first time 10
the United States. 1t was presented as a
novelty by the world-renowned Gewand-
| haus Orchestra In LEIPZIG about two mouths
ago. The famous LEIPZIG critic, Bernsdorf,
| was lavish In his praise OF the work, aud
thanked Jensen for contributing to musical
| literature composition OF permanent
value. Its designation as "Symphoniettan
is merely modification of the rather
broader term "symphony." Though writ
| ten for strlngs, 1t is, nevertheless, q sym
| phony In its motives and thematic develop
ment. 1t opens with few bars In SLOW
tempo, followed by a vigorous allegro,
| forming the first movement. The second
| port is an intermezZo (tempo allegrettO)
calling for much dellcacy aud taste in It's
execution; the third movement Is u
smoothly written aud melodious laTghetto,
| requiring for its Interpretation broad aud
| sustained tone, and the iual movement is
| ktal In npt hns
10 gay that The Wilhelmi Clubs perform
ance Of this work was mastery. II there
| are any skeptlcs who fail to conceie this
| fact IT can be concluded at once that they
| did not hear the clubs performance Situr.
| day night. The entire eymphonetta was
| played with remarkable vigor aud expires
sion. The difficulties OF the work seemed as
nothing in the hands of the performers, who
| played with an ease and abandon that were
delightful. For breadth, purity, aud solid
| itY Of tone, niCety Of phrasing and attack,
! precision in bowing, the clubs perform ince
| Of the Jensen composition surpassed ali
efforts heretofore made in string or chamber
music in our city, and so far from being
| amateuTish In the least degree, IL ranks In
finish and style with the string work of the
standard Orchestras. The Liebesnovelle
was also played with much care anl effect,
| while the ballet music Of tilllett aroused
! considerable enthusiasm. Nothing we can
say Of Miss Hattie Clapper W III add TO her
reputation. She Is one OF our three
greatest native contraltos, the Others
being Annie Louise Cary and Emily
Winant Miss Clapper is favorlte soloist
| OF Theodore Thomas and DamrOsch, and
has sung many times in different parts OF
the country with their orchestras. She has
also appeared frequently with the oratorio
societies and musical festival organizations
OF New York, Boston, Cincinnati, Chicago,
and Baltimore, and iu all these cities has
received the praise and homage OF the
! critics These facts leave no room to ques-
ion her attachments as an artist, aud her